UK radio hits a record 51.1m listeners as commercial pulls clear of the BBC

UK radio reached a record 51.1 million adults a week in Q2 2026, and commercial radio's 40.2 million listeners now tower over the BBC's 30.9 million — the widest gap of the RAJAR era.

Radio just posted its biggest-ever UK audience

The latest RAJAR figures, published on 6 August, show 51.1 million UK adults — 87% of the population — now tune into radio every week. Total listening topped one billion hours in the quarter, a reminder that so-called 'old' media is still doing numbers most platforms would envy.

The headline story is the balance of power. Commercial radio reached 40.2 million people a week, a 55.1% listening share, against the BBC's 30.9 million and 42.6%. That is the widest commercial lead in the current RAJAR era, and it reframes radio as a fundamentally commercial medium.

Global and the news brands lead the charge

Global, the UK's biggest commercial operator, reached 29 million listeners a week and a 27.5% listening share. Heart stayed the country's biggest single brand at 12.8 million, Capital hit 8.9 million and Classic FM 4.5 million, while LBC set a record 3.7 million.

Speech and news brands had a standout quarter. LBC News hit a record 1.2 million, Times Radio posted its highest-ever audience and GB News Radio grew 34% year on year to 731,000. Bauer's KISSTORY (2.03 million) remained the biggest commercial digital station, with KISS up 32% to 1.75 million.

Why this matters for advertisers

Radio's reach is cheap, trusted and — crucially — brand-safe at a moment when marketers are nervous about where their digital money lands. Radiocentre's Matt Payton framed it as 'mass reach in a trusted environment', and the data backs him up: more than 30% of adults now listen online each week, so that reach increasingly arrives with digital targeting attached.

Our read: the growth of online and smart-speaker listening is quietly turning radio into an addressable channel. Amazon putting talkSPORT and Times Radio on its DSP is the shape of things to come. Treat commercial radio not as a cheap reach top-up but as a targetable, trust-rich environment sitting between linear TV and pure digital audio.

What businesses should do now

For smaller brands, the takeaway is that audio is one of the few channels where you can still buy genuine mass reach without a national TV budget. A tight sonic identity — a memorable line, a consistent voice, a distinctive sound — compounds every single time your spot airs.

Then test the digital side. Streamed and podcast inventory around these stations lets you layer targeting and retargeting on top of radio's trust, and measure it far more precisely than a traditional spot. The stations posting records are the ones investing in digital distribution; advertisers should follow the same logic.

Quick FAQ

What was the record UK radio audience in Q2 2026?

RAJAR reported 51.1 million UK adults tuning in weekly — 87% of the adult population — with total listening exceeding one billion hours in the quarter.

Is commercial radio now bigger than the BBC?

Yes. Commercial radio reached 40.2 million weekly listeners (55.1% share) versus the BBC's 30.9 million (42.6%) — the widest commercial lead in the current RAJAR era.

Which radio brands set records?

LBC (3.7m), LBC News (1.2m), Times Radio (highest-ever) and GB News Radio (731,000, up 34%) all posted records, while Bauer's KISS grew 32% to 1.75m.

— Dimitro Cohen, Technology & Ad-Tech Correspondent at Marketing Minute

Commercial radio has pulled decisively ahead of the BBC — and with a third of listening now online, its mass reach increasingly comes with digital targeting attached.

Is radio part of your media mix in 2026 — or are you leaving trusted mass reach on the table?

If you would like to know more about this topic, please contact us on danieln@merxmarketing.co.uk

Sources: RAJAR Q2 2026; Radiocentre; Global; Bauer Media; Prolific North; RadioToday; LBBOnline.

Related reading

UK TV's tale of two markets: linear stalls as addressable jumps 15.5%

Global launches its biggest-ever billboard network — and OOH's data race heats up

The Marketing Minute: your week in UK marketing (w/c 28 July 2026)

Written by Dimitro Cohen, Technology & Ad-Tech Correspondent at Marketing Minute